Tag Archives: toys

There is just something about vintage kitchen accessories that just make my heart happy. I’m not even completely certain what it is about them, all I know is that I am a complete nutcase for them. So, when I decided that I wanted to start collecting and restoring old pieces of history, I knew that I would start in the kitchen. After all, it’s where I spend a huge chunk of my time and I actually use most of what I collect.

That is why I am delighted with all of these wonderful finds I got from an Estate Sale this weekend! I was also able to score something for Cecilia’s room, and for my garden. And with everything 75% off, I got it all for $22! So to say I totally scored would be an understatement.

I’m going to restore the table and keep it in Cecilia’s room to hold her toys. When she’s older and doesn’t destroy everything in site, I’ll use it to display her collectibles. For the kitchen, I got a beautiful vintage Glasbake green daisy casserole dish, a vintage pastry cutter, biscuit cutter and an old rolling pin. I got another cheese grater to add to my ever-growing collection, and my favorite purchase – the vintage salad tongs. Then I got that awesome braided plant holder for the garden!

Cecilia wanted to see what all the fuss was about

And I finally found a use for that bunch of cilantro that I always buy and use only half!

I found this Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette recipe on Closet Cooking, and it’s delightful. It had just the right kick to it, and it was not heavy at all. The garlic and lime worked perfectly together, and the jalapeno gave it a little kick! We dressed our salad with it, then decided it needed to go on our tacos, too! It was light and crisp – perfect for this warm weather.

What thrifty treasures did you uncover this week? Share in the comments and on your social media channels! Stay thrifty, my friends.

Well, the time has come. My daughter has decided that her toys are way cooler than mom, and she would much rather hang out in her room and play with all of her cool stuff than hang out with boring ol mom. And while it’s a little insane seeing her grow up so fast, I’m relieved that she’s finally getting into all of her toys that take up every inch of space in that room, and I do have to admit that it is nice to get some things done around here. And I love hearing her in there, blabbing away and turning everything into a drum set.

This week, the Creative Collective started on The Nectar Collective, and our first prompt was to choose a word for 2014 and make something creative with it.

I chose simplify because I really want to work on simplifying my life and slowing down a little. I have a closet full of clothes I never wear and it stresses me out every time I look at it, I have a craft closet that has gone complete bonkers with projects that I barely touched. I need to simplify my closet, simplify my crafts and simplify my routine. I try to do too much of everything, and end up falling short. I am slowly learning to focus on one goal until it’s done and move on from there.

I’m choosing to let go of anything that causes unnecessary stress, and zoning in on what matters. I’m choosing to allow myself some creative time every day, because I need it. I tend to get so worked up about things, and when it comes down to it…my life is pretty simple.

And so far, it has worked! I finished more by doing that than by trying to do everything at once. I finished my cork/chalkboard that I have been putting off forever and I was actually able to make cookies AND coffee cake this week. What the what?!

The cake was so crumbly that I had to eat it with a spoon, which I was totally fine with.

I got to share Print Therapy‘s story this week, and I was so excited about how excited they were about it. When you write about someone else and their business, it can be a little nerve-wrecking. You are putting that person’s name out there, and it can be a truly amazing experience…or it can be horrible. Luckily, this was a particularly amazing experience. I also purchased this Valentines card from them, and I will continue supporting their business in the future. Because they’re awesome.

Photo from Print Therapy

And, finally. I got this package that I ordered from Wilderess, and I love everything about it. I got an apple scented 20 hr candle, two cinnamon chapsticks and they included a little tealight! It came with a cute little bag and was shipped with eco-friendly packaging.

A Burts Bees devotee, I was a little weary of trying another chapstick, but I love these! And they’re less waxy. I’m definitely sticking with them. Sorry, Burt.

So, what did you love about this week? What did you get accomplished? Share in the comments and post a link to your blog if you have one! Connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram and Pinterest!

Around this time last year, I was about 38 weeks pregnant and while I did brave the mall to go Black Friday shopping with my mom and aunt (it was fun—but in hindsight, a very, very bad idea), I was hardly in the holiday spirit. I had all these plans to make everyone’s gifts since I was in full-on nesting mode anyway, but never got to it…simply because I was exhausted, and taking a math class – which is the worst.

This year, however, I’m no longer pregnant (thank goodness!) and I’m very much in the holiday spirit. It doesn’t hurt that I’m much more into the crafting community these days, and everyone around me is posting awesome holiday ideas. Here are a few of my favorites.

Photo from The Paper Mama

50 Days of DIY from The Paper Mama – Now on Day 20 (pepperoncini cheese dip- yum!), Chelsey shares fun DIY Holiday projects and recipes each day. She is also the co-writer and co-creator of Make Your Day DIY, which I wrote about last week…so obviously, I’m a huge fan. Aren’t these photo place makers super fun? I have yet to actually host a Christmas dinner at my house (for reasons you can read about in my story) but when I finally do….it is so on!

Photo from Alison Butler

One to Wear, One to Read, One to Play from The Petit Cadeau – Well, Alison has done it again. I feel like I’m always writing about awesome stuff she does on her site – and that’s probably because she’s always doing awesome stuff. This time, she has created a gift guide for the lil ones, where she picks one article of clothing, one book, and one toy to feature each round. She is going to gift one of the each to her kiddo this year, and none of them involve batteries. Sweet!

Photo from The Lone Home Ranger

The 12 Days of Minimalist Christmas from The Lone Home Ranger – Better late than never, right? That’s what I always say. Justine from The Lone Home Ranger is on Day 10 of The 12 Days of Minimalist Christmas, and today she is offering a Giveaway of the book The Family Flavor by Whitney L. Ingram and sharing her review of the book. She also includes a child-proof “chicken chowdah” recipe!

Are you feeling the holiday spirit this year? What are your favorite crafty sites doing to get your creative juices flowing this season? Share them in the comments and connect with me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter. Also, remember that I will be posting small/handmade business Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday sales next week so if you are having a sale, let me know!

Meet Cody, a work-at-home mama in her mid-twenties from Kansas City, MO, who runs an eco-friendly monster toy line called Lu & Ed. Before starting her own business, Cody was the head of marketing in a retail store, and before that, she was in line to become a store manager at a local restaurant. Not looking back, Cody says that making mon-stors “is the best job I have ever had!”

She came up with the idea of Mon-stors when she moved from South Carolina to Missouri with her son and lived in the basement of her fiance’s mom’s house. With little room to move around, Cody thought of a storage solution where her son could literally feed toys to a stuffed monster.

Once I posted photos online, I got dozens of requests and soon after, dropped my day job to pursue it full time!

Cody is not only a mama to her son, she is also a mama to seven rescue pets and has another job recording sales for an author. Being a mom has made her more motivated because she has more flexibility as an independent business owner than she would in the workforce, and she is setting a good example for her son to pursue his dreams.

Photo from Lu & Ed

“My son loves what I do and I love that it enables me to stay home with him, that I can be here for him all the time. I am so thankful for everyone who supports my indie business and allows me this opportunity.”

Although it’s hard for Cody to pinpoint her favorite thing about running her own business, she did say that the scariest thing is straightening out her taxes and licenses.

“You always want to make sure you cross your T’s and dot your I’s and it can be scary filing taxes for your first time or applying for a new license when you relocate. There are so many great resources out there now for handmade businesses to help them get their affairs in order, and for that I am thankful!”

Right now, she is a one-mama shop and works in the extra bedroom in the back of her house. Cody says that she is casually looking for an intern to help out with sewing during her busy times – before big events and during the holiday season – but in the meantime, her son has turned out to be quite the helper.

Photo from Lu & Ed

“On take your child to work day last year he worked in the studio with me all day and made two stuffed monsters, and had so much fun doing so! He also loves to make jewelry, sculpt, paint, make soap and draw. ♥”

She describes her workspace as “messy, colorful, fun, full of inspiring quotes, monsters and a huge over flowing closet of fabric.” Speaking of fabric, Cody uses all eco-friendly materials to make Mon-stors and assures that there is absolutely no waste going into landfills. She uses large cuts of fabric to make Mon-stors, then from that, she cuts use the remnants to make small Mon-stors, totes, stuffed monsters, gadget Mon-stors and other products. Whatever is left from that is used for stuffing or to make dog beds that she donates to animal shelters.

“They are all little steps that make a big impact in the environment.”

Cody has always been eco-aware but admits that she didn’t know the impact buying new fabric had on the environment until she took a part-time job at a fabric store to help cover the costs of some dental work she needed. After she witnessed all the waste firsthand, she decided that she could no longer support big-box fabric stores.

Photo from Lu & Ed

“Fabric arrives in a big, plastic wrapped box. The box and plastic wrap are thrown in the trash (not recycled), then each bolt is wrapped in plastic wrap, which is then throw away. All uneven edges are trimmed and just thrown away, as are tiny remnants & the cardboard sleeves the fabric is wrapped around.”

She started buying fabric at thrift stores and after a few months, people were offering her old fabric, sheets, clothing and blankets that they were no longer using. Wanting to do more, she searched for more eco-friendly ways to run her business. She started flipping food boxes inside out and once her family and friends heard she was doing this, they started giving her their old boxes.

“I haven’t had to buy or pick up a box from the post office in over two years! I also found Eco Enclose, a company that makes biodegradable tape from renewable resources, Fabric Recycles, a fabric and crafting notion thrift store where I can buy thread spools second hand at a fraction of the cost (and pollution of production) of new thread, and Moo‘s amazing recycled, biodegradable business cards!”

Cody has witnessed her eco-efforts sparking a revolution among artisans within her community. Business owners are realizing that being eco-friendly in your supplies and packaging actually results in major savings for your business, and more and more people are coming to her for advice on how to make their businesses more sustainable.

Cody’s car after a thrifting haul. Photo from Lu & Ed

“Several people I know have stopped purchasing boxes and bubble mailers and started recycling packaging or making their own mailers from reclaimed materials to reduce landfill waste and environmental pollution. I think that it is creating a bit of a ripple effect – as more people close to me make small changes, people close to them will as well, and so on. ♥ If we all make small changes they will have a huge impact on the Earth!”

She says that her eco-conscious efforts are also creating a ripple effect with her son. They pick up litter together all the time, often talk about sustainability and she takes him on all of her thrift store adventures. “My son is a total green-freak,” she says.

“He will grab a robe and say “Wow, this would be a great monster!” We buy all of our clothing, dishes, and home goods like lamps and decor from thrift stores, and my son is aware of the ecological impact factory produced goods creates on the world. My son has a hawk eye for organic products at the grocery store, too. Haha! I hope he will maintain his love for nature and making good choices through adulthood.”

Cody started Team Lu & Ed at the beginning of this year to collaborate with other artists and fulfill customer demands for products she doesn’t offer. It slowly grew into a charitable endeavor, with up to 50% from the sale of each product going to charity. Recently, she partnered with The Mollie Shop to sell super cute bows, and half of the profit will be donated to Drumm Farm Center for Children.

Cody’s collaboration with The Mollie Shop. Her first donation was $148. Photo from Lu & Ed

“It has been a huge success and I have loved helping emerging artists become discovered through our collaborations, and I love bring art & toys together to create change in my local community!”

She says that her favorite thing about what she does is “how happy my products make children. It just makes my heart so happy to see photos of children lovingly playing with their monsters.” She is adding a few new lines to her shop and is working on a few new collaborations. Cody hopes that her green business will continue to inspire her community.

“I am hoping that my eco-mission will inspire other handmade business owners make more conscious decisions about where they source their supplies, and inspire consumers to make slower purchases, really thinking about the product, how it makes them feel and the impact it has on the Earth before buying. ♥”

You can find out more about Cody, Lu & Ed and her mission by visiting her website and connecting with her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. If you would like to participate in Yo Momma Monday, please post in the comments and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with the hashtag #yomommamonday. You can find more awesome mama inspiration on my Pinterest!